Tag: November 2025

Rocket Lab Launches Earth-observing Radar Satellite to Orbit in 6th Mission for Japanese Company iQPS

SPACE reports, “Rocket Lab launched its sixth mission for the Japanese Earth-imaging company iQPS this afternoon (Nov. 5) from its seaside pad in New Zealand. An Electron rocket carrying the QPS-SAR-14 satellite, nicknamed Yachihoko-I, lifted off from Rocket Lab’s New Zealand site today at 2:51 p.m. EST (1951 GMT; 8:51 a.m. on Nov. 6. local New Zealand time).”
Full Story (SPACE)

Video

Rocket Lab launches Japanese Earth-observation satellite. (Launch occurs at the 00:10 mark)
VideoFromSpace; YouTube

ISS Marks 25 Years of Continuous Human Presence in Orbit

ISS National Laboratory reports, “This past weekend, the International Space Station (ISS) celebrated a historic milestone: 25 years of continuous human presence in orbit. Since November 2, 2000, more than 290 astronauts from around the globe have lived and worked onboard the space station, advancing science and fostering international cooperation for the benefit of humanity.”
Full Story (ISS National Laboratory)

AI Shifts the Paradigm of Aerospace Structural Modeling

From the Institute
Artificial intelligence (AI) can and should be a practical partner in changing the way aerospace structural modeling is accomplished, remarked Wenbin Yu. While physics-based models remain essential, AI can accelerate computation, fill knowledge gaps, integrate workflows, and make advanced simulation tools accessible to more engineers, he added, describing this new paradigm in detail during an AIAA JournalKeynote Seminar Series webinar.

Embraer Reports Record Q3 2025 Revenue, Backlog at $31.3B

Aerotime reports, “Embraer reported an all-time high third-quarter revenue of $2.0 billion in Q3 2025, up 18% year-on-year, driven by strong growth in its Commercial Aviation and Defense & Security segments. The Brazilian manufacturer delivered 62 aircraft during the quarter (20 commercial jets, 41 executive jets, and one KC-390 Millennium), marking a 5% year-on-year increase.”
Full Story (Aerotime)

“Athena” Plan Lays Out New Blueprint for Remaking NASA

Ars Technica reports, “In recent weeks, copies of an intriguing policy document have started to spread among space lobbyists on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The document bears the title ‘Athena,’ and it purports to summarize the actions that private astronaut Jared Isaacman would have taken, were his nomination to become NASA administrator confirmed. The 62-page plan is notable both for the ideas to remake NASA that it espouses as well as the manner in which it has been leaked to the space community.”
Full Story (Ars Technica)

Anduril’s YFQ-44A Drone Wingman Prototype Makes First Flight

Breaking Defense reports, “Defense tech startup Anduril’s prototype bid for the Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft program achieved its first flight, the service announced [Friday]. The YFQ-44A drone flew ‘at a California test location’ at an undisclosed time today, the Air Force said in a press release. The drone is the second to reach the flight testing stage for the Air Force’s drone wingman program, following General Atomics’s YFQ-42A that took off for the first time in August.”
Full Story (Breaking Defense)

Blue Origin Successfully Test-Fires New Glenn Rocket Engines at Cape Canaveral

Ars Technica reports, “The road to the second flight of Blue Origin’s heavy-lifting New Glenn rocket got a lot clearer Thursday night with a success test-firing of the launcher’s seven main engines on a launch pad at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. Standing on a seaside launch pad, the New Glenn rocket ignited its seven BE-4 main engines at 9:59 pm EDT Thursday (01:59 UTC Friday). The engines burned for 38 seconds while the rocket remained firmly on the ground, according to a social media post by Blue Origin.”
Full Story (Ars Technica)